Co-Founder and Chef, SEM; Lisbon, Portugal

George McLeod is co-founder and chef at SEM, a restaurant and wine bar in the heart of Lisbon. Alongside his partner Lara Espirito Santo, George has embraced a zero-waste philosophy that challenges traditional restaurant operations by focusing entirely on regenerative food sources from local Portuguese producers. Originally from New Zealand, George’s culinary career included work in reputed kitchens across New Zealand and the UK, including a pivotal role at Silo in London, the world’s first zero-waste restaurant. It was here that he refined his approach to sustainability in gastronomy, focusing on minimizing food waste and eliminating single-use plastics, which later became foundational principles for SEM. 
 
Opened in 2021, SEM, which translates to “without” in Portuguese, has quickly risen to prominence in Europe’s dining scene. The restaurant is renowned for its closed-loop system that utilizes every part of the ingredients, crafting menus that highlight undervalued components like roots, stems, and offcuts. George’s commitment to sustainability extends beyond the kitchen. He actively forages for ingredients, bringing forgotten elements of nature back into contemporary cuisine. 
 
George’s dedication to innovative, sustainable culinary practices was internationally recognized when he was awarded One Knife at the Best Chef Awards in Dubai. This accolade celebrates his success in merging high, culinary art with environmental consciousness. In Lisbon, at SEM, George continues to push the boundaries of traditional cooking by championing a menu that emphasises big, bold flavours derived from unconventional sources. His work not only elevates Lisbon’s gastronomic offerings but also sets a precedent for future culinary innovations focused on sustainability. @george.a.mcleod